What is Supplier Risk Management?

What is Supplier Risk Management?

Supplier risk management (SRM) is identifying, assessing, and mitigating any potential risk associated with suppliers and vendors that companies rely on for goods, services, or components. 

The goal of supplier risk management is to ensure the continuity of the supply chain, minimize disruption, and protect the company from financial, operational, legal, and reputational risks that can arise from its relationships with suppliers.

Managing Risk Factors

• Risk Identification: Identifying potential risks associated with suppliers, such as financial instability, geopolitical issues, natural disasters, quality issues, regulatory compliance, and supply chain disruptions. Better supply chain risk management also helps here.
• Supplier Risk Assessment: Evaluating the impact and likelihood of identified risks to prioritize them based on their potential to affect the organization. This involves considering the probability of a vendor risk occurring as well. 
• Risk Mitigation: Conduct thorough assessments of potential and existing suppliers to understand their financial stability, operational capabilities, ethical practices, and adherence to regulatory requirements.
• Contractual Protections: Including contractual clauses that outline the expectations, responsibilities, and consequences for failure to meet agreed-upon standards. This includes penalty clauses, indemnification, and termination clauses.
• Risk Monitoring: Regularly monitoring and assessing the performance and risk profile of suppliers. This involves ongoing supplier audits, performance reviews, and the use of key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Contingency Plan: Developing contingency plans and alternative sourcing strategies to address potential disruptions in the supply chain. This involves better supplier evaluation or having a plan in place to manage disruptions in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
• Collaboration and Communication: Establishing effective communication channels with suppliers to foster collaboration and transparency for better supplier relationship management. Open communication can facilitate the early identification of potential issues and help in finding mutually beneficial solutions.

Types of Supplier Risk

Suppliers are prone to risk exposure, which can manifest in various forms, and organizations need to identify and manage these risks to ensure the smooth functioning of their supply chain. 

• Financial Risk: The supplier can face financial difficulties or go bankrupt, leading to disruptions in the supply chain. Suppliers can also have poor credit ratings, making it challenging for them to secure financing and fulfill contractual obligations (this is often handled well with a financial risk management strategy).
• Operational Risk: Suppliers can sometimes deliver substandard products or services, leading to defects, recalls, or customer dissatisfaction. They can also struggle to meet production demands, causing delays or interruptions in the supply chain affecting supplier performance.
• Compliance and Regulatory Risk: Suppliers can sometimes not comply with relevant laws and regulations, exposing the organization to legal and regulatory risks.
• Supply Chain Risk: Relying heavily on a single supplier or a small group of suppliers increases the inherent risk of disruption. There could also be supply chain disruptions, such as natural disasters, pandemics, or other unforeseen events that can disrupt the entire supply chain.
• Reputational Risk: Suppliers engaging in practices that are inconsistent with the values or ethical standards of the buying organization can damage its reputation. Also, any negative publicity related to a supplier's actions or products can reflect poorly on the buying organization. These can be both known risks and unknown risks.
• Cybersecurity Risk: Suppliers are vulnerable to cyber risk, and a data breach could compromise sensitive information, including intellectual property and customer data.
• Intellectual Property Risk: Suppliers could violate intellectual property rights, leading to legal challenges and potential disruptions in the supply of products or services.

Supplier Risk and Accounts Receivable

Supplier management can have implications for accounts receivable, particularly in financial risk associated with suppliers. 

Credit Terms and Payment Terms

If a key supplier is facing financial difficulties or insolvency, it can affect the terms on which they provide goods or services. This affects the credit terms and payment terms extended to the buying organization. Suppliers in financial distress might request sped up payments or change credit terms, potentially affecting the accounts receivable cycle.

Financial Stability of Customers

The financial stability of suppliers can have a cascading effect on their customers. If a critical supplier fails, it might disrupt the production or delivery of goods and services to the buying organization. This disruption can affect the financial stability of the buying organization's customers, potentially leading to delayed payments or increased credit risk.

Cost of Goods Sold

Supplier relationship changes, such as the need to find alternative suppliers because risk with existing ones, can affect the cost of goods sold. Any increase in COGS can influence pricing strategies, which can affect the competitiveness of the buying organization and its ability to maintain favorable accounts receivable terms.

Credit Risk Management

Supplier risk management is closely linked to credit management. If a key supplier is identified as high-risk, it can prompt the buying organization to reassess its credit risk exposure. This reassessment can lead to adjustments in credit limits and net terms extended to customers, affecting accounts receivable.

Contractual Protections

In supplier risk management, organizations can include contractual protections in their agreements with suppliers. These protections could include clauses related to payment terms, penalties for non-performance, and other financial arrangements. The enforcement of these clauses can affect the financial dynamics between the buying organization and its customers.

Customer Relationships and Reputation

If supplier-related issues lead to disruptions in the delivery of goods or services to customers, it can strain customer relationships and harm the reputation of the buying organization. Negative publicity or a decline in customer satisfaction can affect accounts receivable if customers become reluctant to clear invoices on time or make only partial payment.